Apparatus for applying indications to film strips



July 2, 1935.

F. TLAPAK 2,007,135

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING INDICATION S TO FILM STRIPS Filed Nov. 21, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRANZ Z/IF/I/f IN VENTO R: W %WMC /A,; Attorney F. TLAPAK 2,007,135

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING INDICATIONS TO FILM STRIPS July 2, 1935.

Filed Nov. 21, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i g ll llllll F/m z 74 42% INVENTOR;

Attorney variety of ways.

Patented July 2, 1935 APPARATUS PATENT OFFICE Fon APPLYING INDICATIONS T0 FILM s'rrurs Franz. Tlapak, Munich, Germany, minor to firm Otto Perutz, Trockenplattenfabrlk G. m. b. 11., Munich, Germany Application November 2 Munchen,

1, 1930, Serial No. 497,285

In Germany February 5.1930

ing indications of desired character to film stripsi The practice of applying indications or mark-' ings to films is fairly general and is done in a Such indications may be applied by photographic exposure, by chemical action, by stamping or'by embossing, but each of these steps involves an operation complete in itself and independent of any other step in the production of the film. In the manufacture of cinematographic films the indications are sometimes applied by suitable exposure devices in combination with the operation of perforating the film.

As distinguished from any of the prior art, the present invention contemplates the application of indications or markings on the film by printing, pressing or embossing, positively, concurrently with the cutting of the film into strips, ir-

respective of whether the film is perforated or not and also irrespective of the dimensions of the film and the purpose for which it is intended. One of the outstanding advantages of the present invention is that a separate procedure or operation is dispensed with and that no special apparatus is required. The invention also makes it impossible for unmarked films to leave the factory.

For practicing the invention I may, for example, provide a knife or knife part of the cutting mechanism for the film with a preferably spring pressed pressing or embossing device which, during the cutting of the film, will impress or emboss the designation into the margin of the film. If the cutting mechanism compresses rotary shears, one of the cutting blades thereof is advantageously connected with a resiliently mounted ring the periphery of which receives the raised or depressed markings or indications and which may be pressed against the film to. be marked.

' Several forms of apparatus for practicing the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary axial section; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a modified form; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the form of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevation; Fig. 5 is a section on the line A-B of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating modification of the invention.

Referring to the form shown in Fig. 1, the lower cutter shaft is denoted l and carries a plurality of rotary cutter blades 3 separated from one another by spacers 2. The upper cutter shaft is denoted l2 and carries a ring ID to which the upper cutter blade II is secured. The blades 3 and I2 cooperate in ,the usual manner to strips from the film t.

Movably connected with the ring it is a second ring 6 provided with a flange 5. The latter has embossed, engraved or otherwise formed thereon, the letters, numerals, characters and the like which are to be printed, pressed into or embossed on the film 4. Suitably spaced about the outerperiphery of the ring l0 and about the inner periphery of the ring 6 are a plurality of pins 3, 10 the pins being secured in position by screwing, welding or otherwise. The pins carried by the ring ID are opposite those carried'by the ring 6 and between the opposed rings are preferably coil springs 9 having a tendency to force the ring it 6 in all directions radially away from the ring it, so that ring 6 is concentric withthe ring 6 t.

The ring 6 is secured to ring 10 by means of screws 1 passing through washers 'l'. The consever nection between the rings a and I0 is such that 20 ring 6 cannot move axially with respect to ring II) but that it may move radially with respect thereto and for that purpose the screws 1 pass through radially elongated slots 1 in the ring 6.

The outer flange diameter 5 of the ring 6 is at 25 least as great as the diameter of the cutter blade ll secured to the ring 10. As, during the severing of the film, the blade H overlaps the blade 3 only about 1 mm., the flange 5 of ring 6 will overcome the force of the spring 9 adjacent the cutting position and will be pressed against the edge of the film strip. In the rotary movement of the cutter ll carried by the ring III, the ring 6 connected with the latter will consequently be entrained eccentrically to shaft l2 and will thus eifect a continuing pressure of the letters, numbers or markings of the flange 5 against the film 4, thereby printing, impressing or embossing the film as desired. a

In lieu of coil springs 9 I may use flat springs and instead of arranging the springs, whether fiat or coiled, as shown in Fig. 1 I may arrange them outside of the rings as shown in Figs. 2 to 5. In these figures the springs 9 are retractile springs and their opposite ends engage studs I3 and I4 secured to the rear surfaces of the rings I 0 and 6 respectively.

In the modified form of Figs. 2, to 5 the flange as such is omitted and the letters, numbers or the like l5 are formed on raised parts of the periphery of the ring 6. The upper cutter blade I l is pressed by an annular coil spring it against the ring 6, the spring l6 bearing against a flange ll carried at the front of the ring Ill. The engagement between the lateral face of blade I I and x the support is controlled by the coiled spring ll whereby these parts are releasable with respect to one another, insuring the necessary resiliency and give" of the blade during the cutting operation.

The device of my invention for marking the edges of films is usable not only with rotary cutters but also with any type of cutt or shearing mechanism, it being within the purview of my invention to provide the upper or lower cutter with a resiliently mounted bar which carries the letters, numbers or other markings at either or both of its ends.

By means of my invention the markings are applied to the film in the same operation in which the film is out. These markings are applied in regular succession, spaced apart any desired distance irrespective of the dimensions of the film. The marking device is positively moved with the cutters during any adjustment of the latter, as when the cutters are moved back or forth on the shafts i and I2 and consequently the danger of marking the film at any place other than the edge thereof is precluded. Moreover, every fihn passing through the cutting machine will be provided with markings.

Referring to Figure 6, II is the roll of film and 4 is the strip of film to be cut. II is a cutting plate or table, 20 the lower cutter and 2| the upper cutter, the cutter bar of the latter being designated 22. The bar carries the impression member 23 adapted to provide the film strip 4 with the desired designation. In order to cut the piece of film from the strip 4, the cutter bar 22 and cutter knife 2|, releasably carried thereby, descend and in doing so impresses the designation23 on the strip l resting on the lower member 20. Of course it will be understood that the position of the member 23 may be reversed,i. e. it may be carried by the lower member 20 instead of by the upper member II.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination with a rotary film cutter, of a support therefor, a member surrounding said support and having means on its periphery for applying markings to films and a resilient connection between said member and said support.

2. In apparatus for cutting and marking tapes, the combination with a cutter blade, of a support therefor, a member carried by the said support and provided with means for producing markings on the tape, said member being disposed short of the cutting edge of said blade and movable on said support in the cutting direction of and relatively to said blade.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, comprising resilient means for supporting said movable member.

4. In apparatus for cutting and marking tapes, the combination of two rotary cutting devices, a shaft supporting each device, an annular member disposed on one of saidshafts and associated with the cutting device thereon, a second annular member surrounding said first annular member and carrying means for producing markings on the tape, springs disposed between the first and second annular members to center the latter with respect to said shaft.

5. In apparatus for cutting and marking tapes, a shaft, an annular member supported thereby, a cutter blade surrounding said member, a second annular member about the first member and provided with means for producing markings on the tape, a plurality of springs connecting said two annular members, a spring for said first member to urge said cutting blade towards the said second member.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, in which the inner diameter of the said first annular member is substantially greater than the outer diameter of the supporting shaft, a recess in said shaft, a' key on said shaft, an adjustable bolt secured to said first member to engage the said recess of the shaft, and the first member having a recess to receive said key to lock said shaft and first annular member.

7. In an apparatus of the character described the combination with a cutter blade, of a support therefor in releasable engagement with a lateral face of said blade, a member carried by the said support and provided with means for producing markings, the mark producing means on said member being disposed short of the cutting edge of said blade.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combinatiorrwith a cutter blade, of a support therefor in releasable engagement with a lateral face of said blade, a die carried by the said support and having its operative face disposed short of the cutting edge of said blade and a cutting member disposed opposite the said die and cooperating with the latter to mark a material brought between said die and said cutting member, whereby simultaneous cutting of the material is produced.

FRANZ TLAPAK. 

